Been reading more and getting into some of the “science based” fitness and diet/nutrition sites. Have found what looks like good info. Thinking I need to get more serious about calories in, likely logging all consumption, now that I have a decent baseline of fitness. Just bought a food scale and made a spreadsheet to log each days food and activity.
I was losing weight in march because I was doing a lot of cardio, eating semi-light, and not gaining much muscle. My current workout is more strength based, and I’m gaining muscle mass but I need to watch calories more closely and not cheat 2 days/wk. I’ll be going for 2500 cal/day (25% less than expenditure assuming 4 days/wk of lifting and some physical activity), with 250g/day of protein. I read a study where subjects did strenuous exercise 6 days/wk, ate at a calorie deficit (like 2000 cals) and lost and avg in 10 lbs in a month. However, the experimental group (high protein diet) also gained a lot more lean muscle mass (like 2.6 lbs) than the control (standard protein). https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/103/3/738/4564609 That’s what I’ll be aiming for. (Gaining muscle while losing mass is uncommon, especially for highly trained, but is doable for semi-novices or more highly overweight and apparently viable with higher protein intake.)
Suuuper jealous, that is literally the only thing I want in my apartment but 0% chance I could swing it. We even have a spare bedroom/office I could put it in but apparently an unused bed makes much better decor than a power rack -_-
Our basement is huge so I had no problems with this crowding into our living space. It took me a long time to find one that would fit with my ceilings, this is a short rack (if I stand on my toes I can grasp the pull up bar).
I can’t OHP with oly plates. I just use a bunch of small 10 lb plates so I don’t hit the ceiling. At least I used to. I haven’t OHPed in a while. It keeps messing up my back.
My ceiling is low but I’m also super short, so that part of the low ceiling issue doesn’t phase me. My overhead press is more limited but shoulder mobility than the ceiling!
Jealous, I’ve got room in my basement for a rack but also have short ceilings and I’m really tall so that’s not an ideal combo. Been throwing around the idea of building a shed in the backyard and making it a workout space
I have to insulate my garage somehow before it gets single digits here or I’ll be back to dumbbell/kettlebell only. I rent so definitely don’t want too spend much.
Do I have a shot in hell at selling this? Sole E35, probably 15 years old by now. Cost 1200 new I think. Minor cracks on the display, wheel makes sounds but it works fine. Want to clear up this space for winter. I’d almost give it away for free but I’d be reasonably happy with 125-175 obo.
Problem is it’s upstairs, it’s heavy as fuck, to let people test it out I’d have to set it up in the garage, then they’d need to come pick it up with a van or something because that ain’t fitting in a sedan. Will junk it by Thanksgiving if I don’t get rid of it.
Weider rack and bench: about $350. It can support up to 250 lbs which is fine for me. I like that they’re separate pieces. Most days I just use one or the other - only bench uses both. I took off the preacher curl and leg lift stuff on the end. As an unexpected bonus - they fit nicely under my dining room table.
35 lb bar: $100
320 lbs of weights: about a buck a pound
Bowflex dumbells 5-52.5 lbs: $440 off of craigslist
used exercise bike with nice wide seat that doesn’t bruise my sphincter: $200
roman chair for hypers and side-hypers (whatever those are called): $100 - the intense hamstring stretching is incredible for my back. I bought this early on in quarantine.
Luckily I have vaulted ceilings and a big open space in the middle of my living room. Bad news is fussy neighbor downstairs. I’m afraid I’m going to injure myself on the deadlifts trying not to bang them. I bought gym mats but those only do so much. I always check to see if his car is gone. When it is I get a much better workout.
I’ve gotten completely hooked to where working out is the highlight of my day. One of the great benefits I never thought of is I can watch my TV shows, listen podcasts, or play music from my early adulthood hero band to pump me up for leg day. My only regret is not doing this at the beginning of covid. I finally gave up after one trip to my packed gym at 5am. I figure I can sell most of it eventually. But there will be a glut after covid is over.
My general routine (varies widely with hiking availability):
Sunday: bench, incline dumbell press, flies, plank, hypers, cardio on bike (40 min - 1 hour). Cardio during the Chiefs game is amazing. I hit 10-15 more rpm.
Monday: curls, triceps, wrist curls/hand squeeze thingy (both to strengthen my forearms because I have elbow issues), situps, side-hypers, cardio
Tuesday: squats, deadlifts, barbell shrugs (the rack has a nice catch attachment just below waste height), various ab stuff - still experimenting, hypers
Wed: cardio
Thurs: military dumbbell, bent over rows, side laterals, reverse delts with bench in slight decline, leg raises, hypers
Friday: hiking - 8-10 hours, around 4k vertical feet
Saturday: rest/hangover/maybe a walk
I haven’t hiked in a month though with the fires. Looking forward to getting back out there Thursday.
